Microbial contamination of water poses a threat to public health. While many contaminants in water including heavy metals and dissolved solids can be removed at the water source, control of bacteria in potable water requires efficient water purifiers. Several chemical agents and physical treatments, such as ozone, chlorine and its derivatives, ultraviolet light and radiation, are used to inhibit bacterial contamination in water. However, residual agents in treated water can have unwanted side effects.
Antibacterial properties of metal nanoparticles such as silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles are known. The antibacterial properties of the metal nanoparticles are attributed to relatively small size and high surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles that allows them to interact closely with bacteria. Metal nanoparticles with antibacterial properties can be coated on surfaces that may be used for a variety of applications such as in medical instruments and water treatment and food processing devices. However, synthesis of metal nanoparticles such as silver nanoparticles can be substantially expensive. Moreover, it is difficult to achieve a uniform dispersion of the metal nanoparticles in a substrate. The materials with non-uniform dispersion of metal nanoparticles may not be effective in controlling and/or inhibiting growth of bacteria in a medium such as water.